Right food, lifestyle can stave off breast cancer: Experts

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Three women on Wednesday evening said breast health is synonymous to what one eats, use on body and everything around.

Among the three was breast cancer survivor Tina Choueiri Chagoury. She pointed out at the “Breast Health Education and Curated Yoga Classes,” held at Zone B of Gate Avenue at the Dubai International Financial Centre, that families and friends of patients would do a big favour if they refrain from babysitting them. But, instead give that moral support by allowing them to do things on their own.

The licensed clinical dietician Dubai resident spoke from her own experience. She found out her condition of having been stricken with the “most common and aggressive” breast cancer type-Invasive Ductal Carcinoma-while on a summer holiday (July 2019) in her home country, Lebanon.

On the sidelines, Chagoury said: “It is so frustrating. It is like (the patient) is already useless (when we could still function.)”

At the panel with Family physician/Functional Medicine specialist Dr. Basma Al Rowaily, Chagoury narrated how she begged and asked her mother at the time she was undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy and mastectomy in Lebanon-not to worry: “I drove myself to the hospital every time and that was the time when Lebanon (was so chaotic).”

She said the concern and care of loved ones and colleagues should never be discounted. However, giving patients the space to be on their own would encourage them to move on and forward: “The patient is still the same person.”

“And please do not mention (about those who never made it) like ‘Oh, your doctor is the same doctor (of a friend or relative who had passed on). Or, ‘Hey, your type of cancer was the same type (from which my relative or friend died of),” Chagoury opined at the forum. The message was that all patients and survivors need all the positivities and moral boostings.

Chagoury enumerated plant-based and Mediterranean diets as well as flax seeds, when the emcee asked about recommended food for breast cancer patients. She also said: “Eat whatever you can to survive.”

Interviewed, organizer Elisa Fausto, Inspire Yoga Studio owner, said the event was in relation to the management’s October campaign of “Know Breast Health, No Breast Cancer” which is all about encouraging everyone to adopt healthy lifestyles that begins with the proper mindset and approach to life, combined with good nutrition and beneficial physical activities.

The licensed pharmacist from the Philippines and 14 years cabin crew of a UAE airline, has been into yoga for the longest time. She is currently transforming family farmlands in her home province of Isabela, into organic agricultural projects as regenerative farming — the conservation and rehabilitation approach to agriculture to improve biodiversity and irrigation, among others — is in the blueprint.

“Medicines (have side effects),” Fausto said. She gave a big thumbs up to Al Rowaily’s Functional Medicine practice.

Al Rowaily opted to specialize in Functional Medicine in order to better help patients get out of the signs and symptoms they are suffering from and which may worsen into chronic debilitating illnesses. She mentioned cancer-causing elements bisphenol (in plastics), dioxins (highly toxic materials in fertilizers and herbicides) and parabens (widely utilised in personal career products and cosmetics), everyone must be wary of and should avoid. Separately, Sharjah Media City (Shams), in cooperation with Pink Caravan, carried out early-detection screenings for breast cancer for its female employees and visitors, in line with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which falls in October. Whilst the Pink Caravan — a part of Friends of Cancer Patients Society (FOCP) initiatives that falls under the umbrella of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah — was at Shams’ headquarters. An invitation has been also extended to all female entrepreneurs of Shams for the screenings.

Dr. Khalid Omar Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City (Shams), said, “We are happy to cooperate with Pink Caravan, which aims to raise awareness about breast cancer, and the importance of early detection.